Multiple electrical conductor connector



April 12, 1955 M. J. MARKS 2,706,266

MULTIPLEELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR CONNECTOR Filed March 27, 1953 I] fi CURRENT SUPPLY INVENTOR:

MAX J. MARKS AT TORNEY United States Patent MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR CONNECTOR Max Marks, Chicago, Ill., assignor of one-half to Martin W. Schwartz, Chicago, 1]].

Application March 27, 1953, Serial No. 344,997

Claims. (Cl. 31598) This invention relates to a connector for a plurality of electrical conductors and is more particularly described as a prewired connector for a plurality of electrical conductors which extend from a source of current supply to a ballast or transformer and then to a lighting fixture of the fluorescent tube type.

In providing an electrical connection in an electric lighting fixture between the source of current supply, the lamp (or lamps) itself and the intermediate lighting transformer or ballast, a great deal of time is consumed not only in attaching the wires or conductors to the separate parts but actually in making the prepared connections between the transformer and a lamp once the conductors have been attached. For even connecting a single lamp, a number of different conductors and connections are required and it is not easy for an experienced person to make the right connections.

The present invention provides a multiple connector which is prewired and properly connected to the transformer of a lighting fixture for a fluorescent lamp such that it is necessary only to connect two projecting terminals to a source of current supply and to connect the several conductors by means of a single plug to the terminals of a fluorescent tube lamp.

An important object of the invention is to provide a compact connector plug adapted to closely receive and to separate a plurality of conductors which extend from a source of supply and from a transformer for the purpose of attaching the conductors to the lamp of a lighting fixture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a prewired assembly of conductors from a source of supply and a current transformer to a plug of compact form adapted to engage the adjacent terminals of a tubular lamp.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a prewired assembly of conductors from a current transformer adapted to engage the adjacent terminals of a circular fluorescent tube lamp.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the specification and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view illustrating a prewired multiple connector in connection with a current transformer and adapted to be applied to the ends of a circular tube lamp.

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the multiple terminal plug connector as shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram of a standard circular tube multiple connector in accordance with Fig. 1

In wiring electrical fixtures, a great amount of time is consumed in making the electrical connections unless the attachment and connection of such conductors is carried out by marking the conductors in a certain particular manner so that they may be connected to the proper terminals with the least possible effort.

In the present invention, this operation is carried out by extending short conductors of different colors from the ends of the current transformer which are connected to a multiple plug in a predetermined arrangement, and other connectors are joined by a screw type connector which engages the bare ends of a plurality of conductors.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a current transformer or ballast as commonly used in connection with fluorescent tube lamps has an enclosing casing through which projects the ends of a number of conductors.

These conductors are covered wires preferably of the 2,706,266 Patented Apr. 12, 1955 "ice stranded type and the extremities of the conductors each have a bare portion extending therefrom for making rapid connections.

One conductor 12 is adapted to be connected to one terminal of an A.C. current supply. Another conductor 14 extends from the same end or the ballast with its extremity inserted in a screw type wire end connector 16 and from this connector extends a conductor 18 WhlCh may be connected to the other terminal of an A.C. current supply.

At the other end of the ballast casing, three conductors 20, 22 and 24 project sufiiciently to provide free wire ends and with them is joined a similar wire end of a conductor 26, the other end of which is inserted in the wire end connector 16 and joined electrically with the other conductors 14 and 18. The wire ends of the four conductors 20, 22, 24 and 26 are each engaged by a fastening clip 28 made of thin sheet metal such as brass or copper and having two upstanding spaced lips 30 adapted to receive the bare end of the conductor wire therein and to be folded tightly over the end of the wire making a firm electrical connection. At the other end of each clip are sides 32 folded partially inward to provide a somewhat triangular sleeve open at one side. These clips are small in size, adapted to be received within two matching plug members 34 composed of insulating material such as porcelain or other plastic material. At the end of each plug member are two openings 36 communicating with an interior recess 38 adapted to receive one of the clips 28 with the end of a conductor wire attached thereto, the other part of the member having a passage 40 leading from each of the recesses 38 and joining in a common rear outlet 42 through which the covered portions of the conductors may extend. In each member 34 is a central partition having a projection 44 near one end and an opening 46 near the center so that when the two matching plug parts are put together, an insulating and spacing washer 48 may be placed between them, the washer having a hole 50 at one end for engaging the projections 44 on opposite sides and having a hole 52 at the other end through which a fastening rivet or screw 54 may be inserted to tightly bind the plug parts, and the partition 48 together and to hold the ends of the wires tightly in their recesses and connected to their clips 32.

The multiple end plug connector thus described is extremely small and compact, the extremities of the conductors are easily attached to the fastening clips 28 and the sides 32 of the clips which are accessible only through the end openings 36 are sufficiently resilient to stand a considerable expansion and still to make a tight electrical connection.

With this construction, the ballast and its connecting conductors may all be pre-wired at a factory or shop so that it is necessary only to connect the terminal wires 12 and 18 to the proper terminals and to connect the multiple plug to a lamp or some other electrical device for using the current. In connecting this multiple plug to a fluorescent electric lamp 56 of the circular tubular type, a small segmental insulated connector 58 is interposed between the adjacent ends of the tube. From a recess 60 at one side of the connector 58, there are four outwardly projecting terminal pins or connectors 62 which are spaced apart in a predetermined manner in accordance with the openings 36 at the end of the multiple plug connector. The spacing of the pins 62 determines the manner in which the multiple terminal is applied thereto, the pins projecting through the end holes 36 and engaging the clips 28 within the multiple connector.

The result of this connection is that lighting coils 64 at the ends of the tube 56 are properly energized by the conductors 20, 22, 24 and 26 as indicated in the wiring diagram in Fig. 3.

With this construction, the wiring and assembly of the ballast or transformer may be completed at a shop or factory by ordinary assemblers or workmen so that it is not necessary to take the time of relatively high-priced labor to do this work when attaching the ballast to a lighting fixture. With this complete assembly, it is necessary only to secure the ballast tightly in place in the space ordinarily provided for it, and to extend the terminal connectors 12 and 18 for connection with these parts;

and to apply the multiple plug connector to the joint terminal of a lighting fixture of the tubular circle type. Although the multiple plug connector is shown with four connections only a similar type of plug connector may be provided for additional conductors. However, for a plurality of circle lamps in one fixture, it is preferable to provide a four-way multiple plug connector for each lamp which means that a divided connection would be provided for each of the conductors leading to the multiple plug connector as shown in Fig. 1.

While a preferred construction has been described in some detail, it should be regarded by way of illustration and example rather than as a restriction or limitation thereof, as many changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a tubular low pressure gaseous discharge lamp which requires two contact connections at each end of the tube; a transformer ballast and means for prewiring the leads from the ballast for a source of current supply and also to supply current from the ballast to both ends of a tubular gaseous discharge lamp, said means comprising two leads extending outwardly from the ballast for connection to a source of current supply; three conductors extending outwardly from the ballast, and a fourth conductor one end of which is connected to and extends from one of the current supply leads to a location remote from the ballast and adjacent the outer ends of the three conductors, the four said conductors having separate terminals to which each is connected, and the low pressure gaseous discharge lamp having cooperating terminals receiving and connected to all of said four conductor terminals.

2. The combination in accordance with claim 1 in which all of the four conductors have terminals for engagement with a lamp having a combining plug connector in which they are prewired prior to the connection of the ballast in a lighting fixture and same lamp has four terminals arranged adjacent to each other and in a pattern to engage the four terminals of the plug connector.

3. A lighting fixture combination in accordance with claim 2, in which the tubular lamp is of the circular variety with the extremities of the lamp adjacent to each other so that the four terminals of the lamp are close together, and the four terminals of the plug connector are arranged in a pattern similar to that of the lamp terminals so that they may all be connected thereto and disconnected therefrom at the same time with the plug connector.

4. In a lighting fixture combination in accordance with claim 1, the prewired connection between one of the current supply leads and the outer end of the said fourth conductor consisting of the bare ends of the wires twisted together and another wire having one bare end twisted together with and at the junction of the other two, and having a free end forming an extension of the lead wire to which it is connected and completing one terminal lead for connection to a source of current supply, and a screw wire end connector threaded upon the twisted ends of the three wires thus joined for permanently connecting them together.

5. In a lighting fixture in accordance with claim 2, the plug connector comprising a pair of similar insulating members with holes in one end leading to recesses operi at one face of each member, the recesses being separated by a partition having a projection extending outwardly therefrom and a recess through the member, a bent wire engaging clip seated in each of said recesses and having triangularly bent ends opposite each end hole of the member, the other end of each clip having spaced lips adapted to receive the bare end of the conductor wire therebetween, and the lips foldable tightly over the end of the wire making a firm electrical connection, the other end of the member having a single opening communicating with the recesses on both sides of its partition, the connected portion of the wire extending through the other end of the member, an insulating partition having perforations therethrough and seated between two plug connecting members placed oppositely together, the projections of the members fitting in opposite sides of one of the recesses of the partition, and fastening means inserted through the said holes of the members and through the hole of the partition to secure the single plug tightly together with the holes extending to the recesses of the plug compactly arranged in close relation to each other, but all the wire ends disposed within the plug connector and insulated from each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,342,570 Biller Feb. 22, 1944 

